15 ways to update healthcare violence prevention plans

As well as being a quieter time when people are home enjoying their families and relaxing, the holidays also tend to be a time when some people may be feeling depressed, and unfortunately it's a time when violence could be on the rise. Healthcare facilities in general are becoming the target of more violent acts, especially by people who may have lost loved ones and hold grudges against people they feel could have helped save them.

OSHA is taking workplace violence very seriously, and last year an update was issued to its Guidelines for Preventing Workplace Violence for Healthcare and Social Service Workers, known to many in the healthcare safety field as OSHA Rule 3148. A response to a higher incidence of active shooters and other violent events in healthcare facilities, OSHA published the update to help facilities improve their preparations for violent incidents. Check out the following 15 suggestions OSHA and our security experts have for you.

This is an excerpt from the monthly healthcare safety resource Medical Environment Update. Subscribers can read the rest of the article here. Non-subscribers can find out more about the journal, its benefits, and how to subscribe by clicking here.